Bella Coola 1British Columbia

Its population rose 16% from 2016 to 2021. It is a First Nations reserve of 1,037 residents in British Columbia.

Photo: Muskwatch · CC BY-SA 4.0

Population

1,037

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

29.6

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

25%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

18%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Bella Coola 1 a good place to live?

Where it does best is health (A+). Schools lag (D−). Natural hazards are less of a worry than in most Canadian towns (A−). It also trails on jobs & income (C−).

No overall grade, and no ranking: Bella Coola 1 is a First Nations reserve, and Statistics Canada holds back or never gathers enough of a reserve’s figures to compare it fairly with other towns.

No Safety Grade: no police service publishes a crime rate for this place on its own. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread. A First Nations reserve: subject grades only, with no overall grade and no place in ranked lists.

StrongestA⁺Health A⁻Hazard risk A⁻WalkabilityWeakestD⁻Schools C⁻Jobs & income

How Bella Coola 1 grades

Each subject compares Bella Coola 1 with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

No overall grade, and no ranking: Bella Coola 1 is a First Nations reserve, and Statistics Canada holds back or never gathers enough of a reserve’s figures to compare it fairly with other towns.

HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedA⁺Open →SchoolsIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Hazard riskGraded on earthquake risk and radon, with high wildfire risk able to lower itA⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedC⁻Open →WalkabilityBetter than most of the towns comparedA⁻Open →

Cost of livingNot graded: not enough data–

SafetyNot graded: not enough data–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Bella Coola 1 stand out

The 3 things Bella Coola 1 does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree

Education

25% have a postsecondary qualification

Where the typical figure for Canadian towns is 56%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Health

Better than 99%

of Canadian towns on health

Its health grade: A+.

Median household income, 2020

Income

$47,200 median household income

The median of Canadian towns: $81,000

Statistics Canada, Census 2021: household income in 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Bella Coola 1.

HealthHealth A⁺

Health in Bella Coola 1 beats almost every Canadian town

59%very good or excellent healthA⁺Health Grade

In the health survey, 59% of adults in the region rate their health very good or excellent, more than British Columbia’s 50%. Expected years of life at birth: 84.3, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (81.0) and Canadian towns (81.5). That said, the region has fewer smokers than British Columbia, 6.5% of adults to 8.9%. Measured from where Bella Coola 1’s residents live, a hospital is 2.8 km away, near the 3.7 km most towns see. Bella Coola 1 doesn’t get its own health survey and life expectancy figures; the ones here come from the North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Health Service Delivery Area.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Bella Coola 159%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Very good or excellent health	59%	50%	52%
Chronic conditions (average share)	12%	15%	17%
Life expectancy at birth	84.3	81.0	81.5
Smokers	6.5%	9%	12%

84.3

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

2.8 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

6.5%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

191 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageBella Coola 1’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey59% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care2.8 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 191 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 86.3, men 82.3 Conditions and habits12% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

SchoolsSchools D⁻

No high school in or near Bella Coola 1: the closest is 189 km off

4schools within 3 kmD⁻Schools Grade

On results, 3 of its 4 tested schools sit in the lower two fifths in British Columbia. The closest elementary school is 3.8 km away, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).

School	Level	Students	System
Acwsalcta Band School IndependentIn Bella Coola 1Elementary	Elementary	–	Independent

See all 4 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public3

Independent1

Schools within 3 km	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	189 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	3.8 km	0.6 km	0.5 km

189 km

to the nearest secondary school

3.8 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageBella Coola 1’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school4 elementary schools Results0 of 4 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language0 of 4 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Bella Coola 1?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁻

Flood mapping exists for Bella Coola 1: 1 on record, latest by Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Lowwildfire bandA⁻Hazard risk Grade

Source area for radon tests: the North Shore/Coast Garibaldi health region

Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 2.5% of homes, above British Columbia’s towns (1.8%) but below Canadian towns (6.6%). NRCan expects $0.030 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings in Bella Coola 1, near the typical $0.030. Wildfire is rare near Bella Coola 1: 0.3% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, a burn rate of 0.008% a year.

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Bella Coola 12.5%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.030	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	2.5%	1.8%	6.6%

$0.030

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

4.0 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageBella Coola 1’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

FloodOne flood study on record WildfireLow wildfire band · 0.3% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 EarthquakesCanadian towns: $0.030 Radon2.5% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Work & commuteJobs & income C⁻

Trips to work from Bella Coola 1 are shorter than from British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 9 min on average

18%walk, cycle or take transit

At the census, 82% of commuters went by car.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van82%

Walk14%

Bicycle4%

Census 2021	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	9 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	82%	87%	89%

$47,200

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

93%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageBella Coola 1’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment13% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work18% walk, cycle or take transit

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Who lives here

Children make up 27% of Bella Coola 1, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

29.6median age

Retirement age and beyond: 12% of residents are 65 or older. 99% of residents have an Indigenous identity, above British Columbia’s towns (5%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike.

Bella Coola 1British ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

27%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree39%

Postsecondary qualification25%

Women and men · all residents

48.9% of Bella Coola 1’s residents are women

Of the 2021 count, 460 were women and 480 men (women across Canada: 50.9%).

Who lives in Bella Coola 1
	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	27%	14%	16%
15 to 64	62%	64%	64%
65+	12%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	39%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	25%	56%	56%

Full pageBella Coola 1’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages29.6 median age · 12% are 65 or over Households285 households · 3.3 people per household English and French1% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Climate

January nights in Bella Coola 1 drop to −2.8°C (British Columbia towns 0.5°C, Canadian towns −13.5°C)

23.3°CJuly afternoons

A normal July day peaks at 23.3°C, close to British Columbia’s towns (23.1°C) and below Canadian towns (25.5°C). Snow peaks in December: 31 cm in a normal year. For the wettest month, look to November: 214 mm on average.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter3.6°C

Spring14.1°C

Summer22.3°C

Autumn12.3°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
January night low	−2.8°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	98	60	159
Precipitation a year	1,229 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm
July afternoon high	23.3°C	23.1°C	25.5°C

96 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

149

days with precipitation a year

Full pageBella Coola 1’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.3°C, January lows −2.8°C Rain and snow1,229 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow96 cm of snow a year Weather station7.8 km to the station · Bella Coola

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Bella Coola)

Weather

Bella Coola 1 in November: highs near 6°C, lows near 1°C

6°Ca normal November afternoon

The year peaks in July (23°C) and bottoms out in January (−3°C). December follows at 2°C by day and −2°C by night. In November, the normal is 214 mm of rain and snow. Expect around 18 cm of snow in November.

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November6°C

December2°C

January3°C

February6°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	4°C	−2°C	351 mm
Spring	14°C	3°C	187 mm
Summer	22°C	11°C	167 mm
Autumn	12°C	5°C	524 mm

1°C

a normal November night

214 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageBella Coola 1’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Bella Coola); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Ellis Ross (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Bella Coola 1 in Ottawa as MP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley

Full pageBella Coola 1’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itIndian Reserve

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A

Bella Coola 1 has two public libraries, VIRL: Bella Coola Branch and Bella Coola Branch

Full pageBella Coola 1’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

The libraries2 Libraries Places to belong6.8 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

More of the land around Bella Coola 1 is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns

13%of the land within 10 km protected

9.6 km out lies the largest, Jump Across Conservancy, at 37,444 ha. A provincial park, Tweedsmuir Park, lies 27 km away. Within 100 km there is no national park. OpenStreetMap shows one beach within 5 km, without a name.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Bella Coola 113%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Bella Coola 1	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	13%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	5	14	4

27 km

to Tweedsmuir Park

beach within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageBella Coola 1’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas8 protected areas within 10 km · Jump Across Conservancy National & provincial parks27 km to a provincial park · Tweedsmuir Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Bella Coola 1

15pages on Bella Coola 1

The big questions

SafetyHousing & costProperty pricesSchoolsD⁻4 schools within 3 km HealthA⁺Life expectancy 84.3 in its region Work & commuteC⁻38% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors13% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 29.6 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Copper Sun Gallery and 2 more in and around Bella Coola 1

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Bella Coola 1, the best known first.

All attractions →

Art galleryArt galleryCopper Sun Gallery100 m outside town, to the northwest

MuseumMuseumBella Coola Museum400 m outside town, to the northwest

Historic siteHistoric sitePetroglyphs800 m outside town, to the south

About Bella Coola 1

First Nations reserve in British Columbia

Bella Coola 1 is a First Nations reserve in British Columbia, counted by Statistics Canada as its own census subdivision.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 1,037 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Central Coast
First Nation: Nuxalk Nation
Census subdivision: 5945802

Questions about Bella Coola 1

Has Bella Coola 1 grown?

Yes: the census counted 807 in 2016 and 937 in 2021, a rise of 16.1%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 1,037.

What kind of homes are in Bella Coola 1?

83% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 3.3 people; 21% are one person living alone.

How old are the people of Bella Coola 1?

The median resident is 29.6 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 27% are under 15 and 12% are 65 or over.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).